SEC newcomers feeling the hype

Enthused as Missouri is for Saturday’s conference-life-changing contest against Georgia, the other SEC newcomer is equally stoked, and even had a few extra days to load up the emotion. Because a hurricane postponed Texas A&M’s opener in Louisiana last Friday, the Aggies’ next opponent — Florida at Kyle Field — has become their first.

Enthused as Missouri is for Saturday’s conference-life-changing contest against Georgia, the other SEC newcomer is equally stoked, and even had a few extra days to load up the emotion.

Because a hurricane postponed Texas A’s opener in Louisiana last Friday, the Aggies’ next opponent — Florida at Kyle Field — has become their first.

The Aggies were dispirited about sitting out of last week’s action, but it’s given them a few additional days to focus on the game their fans – like Missouri’s with Georgia – have had circled since the SEC schedules were announced.

“If anything, this has put us on the same page with our fans,” A coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Two weeks ago, it was about how do you keep your team focused going on the road to Louisiana Tech when all the fans were waiting to play Florida.”

The hype has been accelerated by the announcement that ESPN’s College GameDay, the network’s day-long pregame show, will set up at College Station.

And no big game is complete without some message-board smack. On Tuesday, it came in the form of a billboard in Gainesville.

It read:

“Howdy Gainesville;

You’ve been annexed by Aggie Nation

The Best Academics Cleanest Program in the SEC. Whoop!

Real Football. Real Tradition.”

Texas A officials quickly announced that the school had no connection to the sign, and the message was removed after a few hours.

Florida coach Will Muschamp said he heard about the sign but didn’t see it. What he really wanted to get his eyes on doesn’t exist — game film of Texas A and its new quarterback Johnny Manziel.

“I was hoping Kevin would send me a couple of reels of practice,” joked Muschamp.

Manziel, a redshirt freshman, emerged from a three-way battle to replace Ryan Tannehill. The Aggies’ offense was in good hands with Tannehill, who has been named the Dolphins’ starting quarterback.

But the A attack under Sumlin has a chance to be more productive. At Houston, where he went 35-17 in four seasons, Sumlin oversaw one of the nation’s most productive offenses, with quarterback Case Keenum averaging 5,440 yards and 46 touchdown passes in each of his three years as a starter.

Florida’s quarterback situation got definition this week when Jeff Driskel was named the starter after sharing snaps with Jacoby Brissett in last weekend’s 27-14 victory over Bowling Green. Driskel’s mobility gave him the edge.

“It was a tough decision because both were deserving,” Muschamp said. “They’re both outstanding competitors that we can win with.”

Two quotes

“So far, what we do best is run the tailback and quarterback. We’re hoping we can do more than that as the season progresses.”